Report Suggests That Talcum Powder Cancer Risk May Disproportionately Affect African American Women

Women across the country are being warned that using talcum powder as part of their feminine hygiene routine may increase their risk of ovarian cancer, and in an editorial published last month in Time magazine, an associate professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas suggested that African American women may be at a greater risk than other women, due to strategic marketing by companies that sell talc based products.

For centuries, African American women have been targeted by false, racially-motivated advertising campaigns, particularly those involving feminine odor, which some talcum powder based products were specifically marketed to address. One 1988, ad campaign for Shower-to-Shower body powder assured women that “just a sprinkle a day keeps odor away,” and reminded them that “your body perspires in more places than just under your arms.” As a result, generations of African American women have routinely used potentially harmful talcum powder products around their genital area to stay fresh, a practice that may put them at a greater risk of cancer in their reproductive organs.

Just last year, a study conducted by researchers at George Washington University reported that vaginal douching products were used twice as often by black women than they were by white women, and, in addition to the practice preventing the detection of vaginal infections, the researchers found that vaginal douching products often contain harmful chemicals known as phthalates, which have also been connected to an increased risk of cancer. The first studies linking talcum powder products to ovarian cancer were published in the 1970s and 80s, and internal memos and documents presented at recent talcum powder trials suggest that at least one company that sold talcum powder knew about this risk for years, yet failed to warn consumers.

Failure to Warn About Talc Powder Cancer Risk

Warning labels on many popular talc based body powder products carry no mention of an increased risk of cancer. They merely warn that inhaling the powder, contact with their eyes and applying the powder to areas of broken skin should be avoided. As a result, talcum powder firms are being accused of failing to adequately warn consumers and the medical community about the alleged risk of cancer from talcum powder.

Contact an Experienced Talcum Powder Cancer Lawyer Today

For those who believe they have been harmed by cancer side effects of talcum powder, contact a knowledgeable product liability lawyer today to discuss the possibility of filing a talcum powder cancer lawsuit today.  Read more on this topic at: http://talcumpowder.help/new-report-talcum-powder-cancer-african-american-women/

Source: Talcum Powder Lawsuit Help Center

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Tags: baby powder, breast cancer, cervical cancer, female cancer, J&J, johnson and johnson, ovarian cancer, shower to shower, talcum powder, talcum powder lawsuit, uterine cancer


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